The hatch chart · Stonefly
Early stoneflies
Taeniopteryx, Protonemura
- Natural’s size
- Hook 14–16
- Time of day
- Late morning on stony rivers
- At its peak
- March, April
- Fly to try
- Slim dark spider or nymph, size 14
The year
- JJanuary: not expected
- FFebruary: some about
- MMarch: main hatch
- AApril: main hatch
- MMay: some about
- JJune: not expected
- JJuly: not expected
- AAugust: not expected
- SSeptember: not expected
- OOctober: not expected
- NNovember: not expected
- DDecember: not expected
In the hand
Slender brown flies 8–12 mm long that fold their wings flat or rolled along the back, giving a narrow, stick-like outline. Two short tails, long antennae. They run about on bankside stones and fence posts and fly weakly.
On the river
Nymphs crawl ashore to hatch, so trout see the adults mainly when egg-laying females flutter and dip on riffles. A sparse dark spider fished just under the surface covers them.